MINUTES
JOINT MEETING OF THE COTATI CITY COUNCIL AND THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE
FORMER COTATI COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
City Council Chamber, City Hall 201 W. Sierra Avenue
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
6:00 PM STRATEGIC PLANNING SPECIAL MEETING
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Ford called the meeting to order at 6:15pm.
2. ROLL CALL
Attendee Name Title Status
Ben Ford Mayor Present
Sylvia Lemus Vice Mayor Present
Susan Harvey Councilmember Present
Laura Sparks Councilmember Present
John Savage Councilmember Present
Staff Present: City Manager Damien O’Bid, Deputy City Clerk Kevin Patterson, Director of Administrative Services Angela Courter, Director of Community Development Noah Housh, Director of Public Works/City Engineer Craig Scott, Police Chief Chris Simmons
3. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The City of Cotati recognizes that we’re on the ancestral lands of the Coastal Miwok, who are the original caretakers of this area. We respectfully acknowledge the Indigenous peoples who have been stewarding and maintaining a relationship on this land as knowledge keepers for millennia. This acknowledgment does not take the place of authentic relationships with Indigenous communities but serves as a gesture of respect to the land we are on.
4. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
5. PUBLIC COMMENT
Public Comment:
Pam Granger
Ashley Portillo
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
George Barich of Cotati
Cotati City Council Minutes February 18, 2025
6. REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
A. STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment.
The City Council reviewed the updated Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives. The Vision was edited, as well as reordering some objectives under goals. The updated document would be brought back to the April 1, 2025 General Fund Study Session for final review and approval.
The City Council reviewed each department and had the following input, to be reflected in the updated project list presented at the upcoming April 1, 2025 General Fund Budget Study Session:
City Managers Office & Recreation
• Update Social Media, Generative AI projects so they are not duplicated • Combine Community Engagement Opportunities into a single project • Combine Leadership Development Opportunities into a single project • Add a project for a Tobacco Retailers License, coordinated with Rohnert Park, if feasible Community Development
• Increase priority of community decarbonization awareness efforts • Vacation rental discussion for initial exploratory discussion to determine potential scope, impacts, revenue opportunities. Only proceed further on this project if City Council directs.
• Reduce time spent on development outreach, business outreach projects, due to limited staff time and other priorities.
• Prioritize cell facility FCC report and post installation monitoring as code requirements • Add a future project for building electrification ordinance if litigation/statutes clarify the City's ability to promulgate
Administrative Services
• No changes to projects or programs.
• City Council questions about the net value of the Calcard purchasing project and status of the City's ability to receive donations
Public Works
• No changes to projects or programs, as much of this is subject to budget availability to be determined in future budget meetings.
• City Council emphasized the importance of keeping the municipal wells well maintained and on-line.
Police
• The City Council discussed the outreach project and desire to continue to proactively Cotati City Council Minutes February 18, 2025
engage with the community
• The City Council directed the removal of the Industrial Area Parking Ordinance, Lights On Project and BOLA Wrap deployment unless there is a need to bring these back for further consideration in the future.
7. INFORMATION RECEIVED AFTER THE AGENDA WAS POSTED
8. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Ford adjourned the meeting at 9:07pm.
/s/ Kevin Patterson, Deputy City Clerk